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SDSU Students Create Sporty Hybrid Vehicle
Nevyan writes "SDSU Engineering students working in conjunction with real life designers create an electric hybrid vehicle that actually...well.. looks cool for all the right reasons. Participant in the Tour de Sol. I happened to see this vehicle on campus at SDSU and I want to buy one so badly." Njaneer.com has more information and photos - here's one to give you an idea of the size.
Now while cars with this engine aren't sold in the
US, one can purchase a Golf or Jetta with a slightly larger 1.9 liter TDI
which makes 50 MPG, and generates between 90-115 HP. (with a torque peak
of 155 lb. ft. @ 1900 rpm) 0-60 is a pathetic 10s, but 0-40 is a phenomenal
~4 seconds, which I find easily leaves a Subaru WRX or a BMW M3 in the dust.
If said vehicles are driven by Miss Daisy.
BMW M3. 343 bhp. 365 Nm. 0-100 km/h: 5.2 seconds.
Subaru WRX. 250 bhp. 333 Nm. 0-100 km/h: 5.9 seconds. (Original spec)
Buddy, I don't think so.
Getting slightly off topic here, but I would point out that the vehicle is using at least four point seat belts. I have no doubt that the desingers are very concerned about the safety of this vehicle. It is also a test vehicle rather than a prototype.
At the other end of this is the fact that percieved safety on the part of the driver has an inverse ration to the results of colisions. i.e. if the driver percieves the vehicle as safe, the results of accidents the driver is in are worse.
One way to think about it is how much more attention would you pay to the environment you are driving in, if you were told that the air-bag electronics were wired to a couple of sticks of dynamite under your seat. As long as you prevented yourself from being in an accident, you would survive.
-Rusty
You never know...